Without question, Baltimore is a major and noteworthy hub for our armed forces. With thousands of military members living and transitioning through the area every year, the military has a well-established connection with its residents — one of mutual respect and support.
Over the next few weeks, several organizations, such as Military.com and Tech Expo, will host job fairs with our military veterans in mind. These career fairs and others like it across the country address some alarming numbers. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans under the age of 24 have an unemployment rate three times the national average. Hire Heroes U.S.A., a nonprofit organization that connects disabled veterans with career opportunities, says nearly 16 percent of returning wounded veterans remain unemployed. Depending on which Department of Defense statistics you read, between 35,000 and 53,000 wounded veterans have returned home from our current conflicts, and that number continues to grow daily.
Job opportunities with companies that work on government contracts present an ideal employment transition for military members who are looking for high-quality civilian jobs, where they can build a productive and rewarding career. That said, speaking from personal experience, transitioning from the military to the civilian work force is a challenge — even more so for our disabled veterans.
Tackling this challenge head-on, CACI International created our “Deploying Talent, Creating Careers” recruiting program that specifically focuses on hiring veterans with disabilities. This program has been very successful integrating disabled veterans into the civilian work force. These disabled heroes bring incredible talent, expertise and dedication to the civilian work force. Companies that hire them find a pool of unmatched professionals steeped in the ethos of duty and mission honed by their military service.
Fortunately for our service members transitioning to the civilian work force, we’re seeing more and more companies across the country hiring our military and disabled veterans. We strongly encourage all transitioning veterans to consider government contracting companies as a place to build their civilian careers. More important, we ask all employers to seek out and hire military and disabled veterans. Our veterans are very special people. They are definitely great assets for the American work force.
Our veterans have made enormous sacrifices for our country, so corporate America should do its part. Hire a veteran today.
LOCAL VETERANS JOB FAIRS
Tech Expo, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday at the BWI Marriott, 1743 West Nursery Road, Baltimore
Military.com Career Fair, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Oct. 6 at the Holiday Inn, BWI International Airport, 890 Elkridge Landing Road, Linthicum
Click here for more information
Larry Clifton is senior vice president of recruiting and work force planning for CACI, a large technology and professional services government contractor based in Arlington.
